On The Nature Of Theology And On Scripture

Theological Commonplaces

by Johann Gerhard

Thorough systematic exploration of theology and Holy Scripture in the Lutheran context.

Genres: Theology

606 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2006

About the author

Johann Gerhard was a Lutheran church leader and Scholastic theologian during the period of Orthodoxy.

At the age of fourteen, during a dangerous illness, he came under the personal influence of Johann Arndt, author of Das wahre Christenthum, and resolved to study for the church. He entered the University of Wittenberg in 1599, and studied philosophy and theology. A relative then persuaded him to change his subject, and he studied medicine for two years. In 1603, he resumed his theological reading at Jena, and in the following year received a new impulse from J.W. Winckelmann and Balthasar Mentzer at Marburg. He graduated in 1605 and began to give lectures at Jena, then in 1606 he accepted the invitation of John Casimir, Duke of Coburg, to the superintendency of Heldburg, today Bad Colberg-Heldburg, and mastership of the gymnasium; soon afterwards he became general superintendent of the duchy, in which capacity he was engaged in the practical work of ecclesiastical organization until 1616, when he became the senior theological professor at Jena, where the remainder of his life was spent.

Here, with Johann Major and Johann Himmel, he formed the "Trias Johannea." Though still comparatively young, Gerhard was already regarded as the greatest living theologian of Protestant Germany; in the "disputations" of the period he was always protagonist, and his advice was sought on all public and domestic questions touching on religion or morals. During his lifetime he received repeated calls to almost every university in Germany (e.g. Giessen, Altdorf, Helmstedt, Jena, Wittenberg), as well as to Uppsala in Sweden. He died in Jena.

His writings are numerous, alike in exegetical, polemical, dogmatic and practical theology. To the first category belong the Commentarius in harmoniam historiae evangelicae de passione Christi (1617), the Comment, super priorem D. Petri epistolam (1641), and also his commentaries on Genesis (1637) and on Deuteronomy (1658). Of a controversial character are the Confessio Catholica (1633–1637), an extensive work which seeks to prove the evangelical and catholic character of the doctrine of the Augsburg Confession from the writings of approved Roman Catholic authors; and the Loci communes theologici (1610–1622), his principal contribution, in which Lutheranism is expounded "nervose, solide et copiose," in fact with a fulness of learning, a force of logic and a minuteness of detail that had never before been approached.

The Meditationes sacrae (1606), a work expressly devoted to the uses of Christian edification, has been frequently reprinted in Latin and has been translated into most of the European languages, including Greek.

Reviews

[Glenn Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first taste of Johann Gerhard, a 17th Century Lutheran Theologian, and I quite enjoyed this book. CPH continues to do a marvellous job of translating older works into a good readable modern English.

I have been working my way through Luther's Works, and so was keen to read a different Lutheran scholar from the following century. Gerhard is so much more the systematic theologian. He is far more reasoned, logical and exhaustive than Luther, though I would point out that I find Luther far more passionate, pastoral and majestic than Gerhard (at least so far).

I found it fascinating to have an insight into 17th Century arguments about the Canon of Scripture, who wrote the various books of the Bible, the authenticity of the Hebrew and Greek, the need for modern translations, etc. The arguments for and against the Latin Vulgate as being more authentic (Gerhard argues against) are very similar to KJV only arguments we hear today. I was quite impressed also at the depth of research and knowledge that Gerhard displays - why quite one Church Father, when you can give 20+ references ;-)

I also applaud CPH for how well referenced this volume is, with not only excellent indices but also quite a good "Further Reading" section.

Looking forward to the next volume!

[Brian Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb study of just what the title says by a seventeenth century Lutheran scholar. It is detailed and comprehensive in scope and orthodox in content, but it does not lose sight that God and the worship of God is the end of theology. One of the best books I've read.

[Jared Mindel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally finished this beast. It's a must-read for every Lutheran, if not every Christian honestly. He can be dry at points, but that's frankly how a book on The Book will be. He had some really strong responses to Bellarmine, which alone are enough for the price.